Senate GOP: Reform report is 'window dressing'

And not the cool kind you get at Macy’s around the holidays, either. The Senate Minority just released their response to the report, and charged that Democrats rushed the report in such a way that Republican co-chair John Bonacic and committee members George Winner and Joseph Griffo were forced to abstain from voting on the full slate of recommendations:

The three Republican members of the Temporary Senate Committee On Rules and Administration Reform called the committee report issued today “nothing more than window dressing.” Senators John Bonacic, George Winner and Joseph Griffo also criticized Senate Democrats for providing them with the report just hours prior to voting on it.

“This report is a missed opportunity to change the dysfunction of Albany to bring about more fairness, more civility and more empowerment for individual Legislators to serve the best interests of their constituents,” Senator John Bonacic (R-C-I, Mount Hope), Co-Chairman of the Committee, said. “The recommendations are small steps to address perception, and do nothing to change the culture that has caused New Yorkers to lose faith and confidence in their state government.”
“This report falls way short of what we could have done to enact real reform,” Senator George Winner (R-C-I, Elmira) said. “It does not get to the core of changing the culture of dysfunction or ensuring that every member has the resources they need to influence the legislative process and serve the people of their district. Instead, the Democrats chose to tinker around the edges of the committee process, and deliver more empty promises for reform in the future.”

Republican members of the committee were given the report just two and a half hours prior to the meeting scheduled to discuss and vote on its recommendations. The report was given to the news media last night.

“The Democrats’ lack of openness and transparency has become an unfortunate and disappointing pattern,” Senator Joseph Griffo (R-C, Rome), said. “This draft report was delivered this morning with no opportunity for legislators to read it and consider the recommendations. It is lip service to change and reform and fails to deliver real results, just like the state budget that the Democrats put together behind closed doors. I think the people who participated in this process, the good government groups, those who spoke at the public hearings and attended meetings expected much more, and certainly the public deserved much more from this effort.”

The Republican Senators voted in favor of seeking an extension of the committee, but abstained from voting for or against the recommendations, which they had little time to review. They will be issuing a report on behalf of the Minority.

“This report only scratches the surface and we will continue to push for real change, real reform, equality and fairness,” Senator Bonacic said.